PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 161 



October 7, 1861. 

 Mr. Geo. Andrews, of New York, in the chair. 



GRAPES. 



Dr. Crowell desired information with regard to the new grapes, 

 the Rebecca, Anna, Diana, &c. 



Mr. Pardee. — The Delaware sustains itself this season, stand- 

 ing at the head of the native grapes. Next to that comes the 

 Diana. Although it has been killed in some places this last win- 

 ter, yet upon inquiry I do not attribute any importance to these 

 cases. There has been a disposition to cry down the Rebecca, 

 but I have never eaten them so fine as this season. I have no 

 doubt that it is a little tender, but with a little care the Rebecca 

 will give satisfaction for garden culture. The Anna is pronoun- 

 ced a little better than the Rebecca. The Concord is improved 

 this year. It is superier to the Isabella, and I think will prove 

 a finer grape than most people have anticipated. The Hartford 

 Prolific is also improved this year. I am disposed to give more 

 credit to the Isabella than most people do, when it is well ripened. 

 But I have very little opinion of most of the grapes — the Isabella, 

 Concord, and Hartford Prolific — grown in vineyard culture. The 

 Delaware and the Diana are as hardy and as early as the Isa- 

 bella, and although I consider the Isabella a valuable vine, where 

 already established in city yards or in protected situations, I do 

 not know that it has any advantage. Certainly where the Dela- 

 ware and Diana are well established, no one will wish to eat 

 Isabellas or Catawbas. Some of the best of our native grapes 

 sell as high as foreign grapes. As the vines grow older, we find 

 that the bunches of some of the new varieties grow larger and 

 finer. This is easily explained. While the price of vines is from 

 three to five dollars, the vines will be forced beyond their 

 strength to produce new vines. The vines thus produced will 

 slowly recover their strength ; but I do not think that a vine 

 which has once been overtasked can ever completely recover. 



Dr. Trimble. — I think the Isabella grape has been much dis- 

 paraged and unjustly, I never thin them out, and my vines will 

 bear a profuse crop for twenty years in succession. This year, 

 owing to the weather, the fruit is sweeter than usual. 



[Am. Inst. J K 



